Development of the immature stages of Culex (Culex) saltanensis Dyar (Diptera, Culicidae) under laboratory conditions

Culex (Culex) saltanensis Dyar, 1928 is becoming frequent and abundant in natural and artificial breeding sites in urban and rural areas of Brazil. This study contributes to the knowledge of the biology of a Brazilian strain of C. saltanensis. The development of specimens reared individually or grouped was observed. The study was conducted at a constant temperature of 27 plus or minus 2 degree C, 14L:10D photoperiod and 80 plus or minus 5% relative humidity. The immature stages were observed every 6 hours until adult emergence, which occurred in 12.29 days among individually reared specimens and in 13.12 days among group-reared specimens. Egg rafts for the experiment were obtained from the laboratory and field. Eggs hatched at a rate of 97.48 plus or minus 2.32%. More eggs per egg raft were obtained from the field than from the laboratory. Males from individually reared specimens emerged in 12.29 plus or minus 1.11 days and females in 13.12 plus or minus 1.58 days. The male-female ratio was 1:1. Larval survival rate was higher than 85% for larvae reared isolated and higher than 95% for group-reared larvae. The Culex saltanensis life cycle was completed within 12 to 14 days, where larval instars I and IV took the most time to develop and the pupae, the shortest.Original Abstract: Culex (Culex) saltanensis Dyar, 1928 esta se tornando frequeente e abundante em criadouros naturais e artificiais em areas urbanas e rurais do Brasil. Este estudo contribui para o conhecimento da biologia de C. saltanensis. Desenvolvimento de especimes individualizados e agrupados foram observados. O experimento foi conduzido em temperatura constante de 27 plus or minus 2 degree C, 14L:10E fotoperiodo e 80 plus or minus 5% de umidade relativa. Os estagios imaturos foram observados a cada 6 horas ate a emergencia dos adultos, que ocorreu em 12,29 dias entre os especimes criados individualmente e em 13,12 dias entre os especimes criados agrupados. Jangadas de ovos para o experimento foram obtidos a partir de laboratorio e de campo. Eclosao dos ovos ocorreu em 97,48 plus or minus 2,32%. Mais ovos por jangada foram obtidos a partir do campo do que laboratorio. Machos criados individualmente, emergiu em 12,29 plus or minus 1,11 dias e femeas em 13,12 plus or minus 1,58 dias. A proporcao macho-femea foi de 1:1. Taxa de sobrevivencia das larvas foi superior a 85% para larvas criadas isoladas e superior a 95% para as larvas agrupadas. O ciclo de vida de C. saltanensis foi completado entre